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An outbreak of Salmonella saint-paul infection associated with beansprouts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

M. O'Mahony ,
J. Cowden ,
B. Smyth ,
D. Lynch ,
M. Hall ,
B. Rowe ,
E. L. Teare ,
R. E. Tettmar ,
A. M. Rampling  and
M. Coles
...Show all authors
M. O'Mahony
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre
J. Cowden*
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre
B. Smyth
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre
D. Lynch
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre
M. Hall
Affiliation:
PHLS Division of Enteric Pathogens
B. Rowe
Affiliation:
PHLS Division of Enteric Pathogens
E. L. Teare
Affiliation:
PHLS Chelmsford Laboratory
R. E. Tettmar
Affiliation:
PHLS Chelmsford Laboratory
A. M. Rampling
Affiliation:
PHLS Cambridge Laboratory
M. Coles
Affiliation:
PHLS Cambridge Laboratory
R. J. Gilbert
Affiliation:
PHLS Food Hygiene Laboratory
E. Kingcott
Affiliation:
Department of Health and Social Security
C. L. R. Bartlett
Affiliation:
PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre
*
Correspondence to: Dr J. M. Cowden, PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ.
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In March 1988, there was an outbreak of infection by a strain of Salmonella saint-paul with a distinctive antigenic marker. A total of 143 reports were received between 1 March and 7 June. Preliminary investigations suggested that raw beansprouts were a possible source of infection and a case-control study confirmed the association. S. saint-paul of the epidemic type was isolated from samples of beansprouts on retail sale in different cities in the United Kingdom and from mung bean seeds on the premises of the producer who was most strongly associated with cases. In addition, Salmonella virchow PT34 was isolated from samples of raw beansprouts and was subsequently associated with seven cases of infection. Four other serotypes of salmonella were also isolated from beansprouts. On 8 April the public were advised to boil beansprouts for 15 seconds before consumption, and the premises of the one producer associated with many cases were closed. As a result of these actions there was a significant decrease in the number of infections with S. saint-paul.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 104 , Issue 2 , April 1990 , pp. 229 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

References

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